The excitement of Waisak day

Waisak day celebrations in Indonesia was held in the Borobudur Temple, Magelang province Central Java, on Saturday, May 25, 2013. Waisak day celebrations chose the location in the Borobudur Temple because of Borobudur is believed to be a holy place and as object tourism. As tradition has always done every year, the waisak was done by buddhist. Waisak ceremony begins at Mendut Temple to bring the fire blessings and holy water. Hundreds of monk and Buddhist walked from Mendut Temple, passing Pawon Temple and ends at the Great Temple of Borobudur with pray to God.

Waisak day is well attended by hundreds and even thousands of visitors to witness the rituals. Visitors who enthusiastic want to see the ritual from the beginning to the end of the waisak celebrations. The monk went straight to the main stage and continue to pray in front of statues of Gautama Buddha and the Great Temple of Borobudur. This ritual is a symbol of homage to the sublime nature as the sacred Buddhist and exemplified. The next procession is meditation. Meditation aims to increase self-awareness in achieving happiness. Many visitors also joined to meditate although most of them are not Buddhists.

At the time of waisak, a lot of Buddhists who are worshiped around the stupa looks less calm because of around them many visitors. Even more depressing visitors climb the stupa although around them there are monks who were praying. Announcement to not climb the stupa and officers are also deployed to supervise but many visitors who break the rules. Buddhists are forced to pray in a crowd of visitors with different behavior. Buddhists may already be aware that the holy and glorious temple is not only ownership but it is also to the people of Indonesia and the world so that they look very tolerant with this situation.

In the Waisak celebrations are rituals Pradaksina the ritual surrounding the Borobudur temple three times while carrying a candle. The ritual is followed by visitors who non Budhist. According to the visitor, it is a series of culture. At night, a thousand lanterns flown. For visitors who want to fly the lanterns, visitors can buy a lantern at a price of Rp.80.000 until Rp.100,000. According to the 1000 visitors flying lanterns are the most beautiful part of the whole ritual.

Traditional Clothing of Central Java

Traditional Clothing of West Java

Traditional Clothing of East Java

Traditional Clothing of Yogyakarta

Cornmeal Strawberry Cake

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch round cake pan. Sift together the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt, stirring after each addition. Finally, fold in the strawberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick or knife inserted, comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes then invert onto a serving plate. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Cake-from-Scratch/

Tips to Keep Health Care Costs Down

Expenses on health care increase every year and thus many American families face financial hardships because these costs make up a sufficient percentage of the average household’s monthly budget. It is true that sometimes it may seem impossible to navigate the health care industry as it is immense. But you are not powerless. Follow the expert advice given below and keep your health care expenses manageable.

1. Make an agreement with health care providers. In case you don’t have insurance, think about making an agreement with your medical provider for a kind of discount in the sum that insurance would have requested them to write off.
2. Keep yourself informed. You are more likely to get better care if you are aware of your options. Besides, you may even save some money. Thus, do a simple research before receiving any additional medical services. Some expensive tests and exams may be medically unnecessary.
3. Pay full amount. Consider a “pay in full” discount offered by many providers. If you pay in full at the date of the service, providers save time and effort, therefore it can be in their interest to encourage up-front payments. If you find it difficult to make full payments from time to time, keep in mind that cash advance online can be very helpful when you need some extra cash.
4. Be aware of your benefits. If you have health insurance, review your explanation of benefits carefully once you get them. Sometimes insurance providers make mistakes, thus check information on deductibles, made payments or denied claims. Don’t be shy to call your company if you have any questions. Keep in mind that denied claims can cost you hundreds of dollars.
5. Be an inquisitive and active patient. You definitely know your body better than anybody else. Thus, when you visit your medical provider, be prepared with your concerns and questions. This way you will save much time and money because there will be fewer follow-up visits and besides you will be able to cut the potential for wrong diagnosis.
6. Consider free programs for prescription drugs. If it is troublesome for you to cover the cost of prescription drugs, investigate the programs offering free prescription drugs. Write a letter to the pharmaceutical company manufacturing your medications and ask whether they have any such programs you may qualify.
7. Take advantage of a flexible spending account, if your employer offers such option. A flexible spending account is a benefit that may be offered by employers to help their employees to save money on medical costs. With FSA you can deduct particular amount of pre-tax income for medical expenses every pay period. Thus, you will reduce the amount you pay in federal income taxes.
8. Shop around. When you are searching for medical services, call to different providers and ask for their fee schedules. Most of them are likely to provide you with the list of the offered procedures and their costs. Thus, you may compare the prices before making your final choice.
9. Take caution when considering saving schemes. Be wary of “Medical Discount Plans”. Some of these plans state that you will save up to 60% on medical costs if you choose their providers. But many such plans may be just out for your money. So, prior to signing up for a plan call to the providers of these plans and ask for their price quotes.
10. Think about switching providers. Bear in mind that all insurance plans are different and employers may offer various plans. Consider negotiating with insurers about the premiums while reassessing the medical needs of your family on an annual basis.

http://www.stepawayfromthemall.com/tips-to-keep-health-care-costs-down/

 Traditional music instrument especially for Java will continue to be preserved

The art of wayang (puppet) entertainment culture preservation

Cangget dance that will continue to exist on custom of Lampung

Wayang Lightening Hearts

On Saturday, May 11, 2013, there is a seminar organized that was held in Museum Education Indonesia (MPI) UNY. Theme of the seminar is " Wayang (puppet) as Media enlightenment of humanity". In the seminar was attended by Prof. Dr. Suminto A Suyuti, Professor of the State University of Yogyakarta (UNY) and it is attended by two speakers. They are Ir Yowono Sri Suwito MM, (cultural) and HM Shakirun (cultural actors) he is known as Cak Kirun (actor of comedy) from East Java. Besides the seminar was attended by approximately 200 participants of the seminar. In the seminar, Dr. Suminto said that the wayang could play the fuction as communicative. Through the wayang can be propagated by a variety of things in line with the capability and authority of the wayang as art.

In the seminar, Yuwono also explained that enlightenment is not just a wayang in the teachings of the play but also can pass the piece and puppets. Enlightenment teachings of the wayang contained in pathet 6, pathet 9, and pathet Manyura. Everyone in attendance looked calm in understanding and look at what has been described by Dr. Yowono and Suminto. One of the seminar participants also participated on the theme. He is an Alumnus of the Faculty of Engineering UGM say that the function wayang, initially as a tribute to the ancestors. But ultimately more focused into a spectacle. Even in this era of globalization is more traditional art and has led to the traditional pseudo art.

Similarly, the artist known as Kirun (actor of comedy) also explained his opinion with a humorous style. He said that the wayang is not going to become extinct. It is growing in accordance with the times. Wayang can actually support the people who intersect with wayang, ranging from people who have related with wayang such as musicians, waranggana, crafters, and others. According to one of the participants of the seminar, seminar which is theme Wayang (puppet) gave knowledge about the values of life are reflected in the Wayang (puppet) play. With a variety of opinions expressed by the two sources make the participants understand that the wayang is something that has good value for life.

The Ceremony of Midodareni in Central Java

       In each region, they have a ceremony organized by the respective customs. This time there is a traditional ceremony that was quite interesting and a bit complicated. It is a traditional ceremony of Midodareni in Central Java. Some of you surely know the ceremony. The ceremony was held before the marriage ceremony. Midodareni is done at night, it aims to make the bride's face looks like an angel and expected to live in harmony and peace as it navigates a household. Before the show Midodareni implemented, the ceremony begins with the ritual cleansing or bath according to the custom.

In the spray ceremony (take a bath in the special place and it is showed by others)  and it used a decorated actor as good as possible and spray are the ones that start with the parents and followed by other elders. And than the bride are asked to wash their face with water in a jug ​​that was brought by her mother, and then the jug is slammed. This means that virginity of the bride will soon lost or the periode of virginity will be end as the jug.

Then the bride was carried by her father to change the clothes. After changing clothes, her hair will be cut. It is taken by her parents. And then the hair that has been cut is implanted in front of the house. Then the next ceremony is Cendol Dawet (Ice which contains grass jelly). The more interesting thing that a mother of the bride sell the dawet, and to buy the dawet is not money but the fragments jug who has been solved before that use to buy the dawet. After that, it was an event called midodareni ceremony. This ceremony was done on the night. The bride was made up and they are asked to stay up until ± 12.00 p.m o’clock.  It is aim to get revelation of God and their face can look like the angel. Seeing the complexity of a ceremony, but the ceremony reflects a culture that continue to be preserved.

Reference: http://users.skynet.be/dvran/E_midodareni.htm